Creative ways to get mental health support!
A comment we hear often is “I don’t want to take a spot away from someone who really needs it”. This hurts my heart because I honestly believe that we ALL need mental health support (just like going to the dentist or getting a routine doctor check-up)
However, mental health professionals and “the system” make it very challenging to shake this stigma of only the damaged ones needing therapy.
In this post, I will share some creative ways for free/low-cost options for your mental wellness needs!
Use the Free Consults!
Many counsellors are now offering free consults (We offer this through unscripted co…. check it out here). These could range from 15mins to 45mins. This is YOUR chance to interview the counsellor. We all have a variety of skills but only you will know if it’s a good fit or not. How do you know if they are the right fit?
You’ll want to feel like you can tell this person anything (because seriously you are going to tell them your most vulnerable secrets).
It needs to be easy to book with them. Your life is busy so having to jump through hoops to book is not worth it to you
Are they available for the hours you need? My dream is that employers become more flexible in creating space for counselling sessions during work time but you may not be able to do that. So think about your schedule before calling and figure out the windows of time that would be ideal for you.
Do you need to commute to them? Consider the time it takes to drive to them/home as this will let you know if you have enough space to meet every two weeks or once a month. Some offer virtual, phone, or might even come to you! Depending on what you are looking for.
2. Check your BENEFITS
I took to one of my local Facebook groups to inquire how much people's insurance covers psychological support. The range was shocking! Some reported their health benefits only cover $500 while others could get $10,000/ per person. Even within the same provider, the amounts could change due to the plans their employers bought into.
Check with your health benefits (and your partners if you are covered under theirs too). There may have been a recent increase in what is available.
Additionally, many insurance providers give you direct access to an EAP (employee assistance program) or other mental health providers. This is often fully covered and many private practitioners are contractors of these services. It is a starting point for gaining access to mental health and what isn’t used is wasted dollars.
Designate the remaining cost of benefits to your health spending account
3. STRETCH out your sessions
First off, taking time between sessions is so important! You need time to let what you worked through sink in and opportunities to apply any tools you’ve learned.
Make a list before your session of what you want to address. You may get to all or only some of the points, but it ensures your time does not get wasted
Book once a month (pre-book them so you don’t forget or let life get in the way).
If once per month is too much book once every two months.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Unscripted Co. Pricing as Feb 2023
4. Inquire about SLIDING SCALES/pay what you can
Mental health can be costly because you often need to go more than once (in an ideal world you would go at least 4 times a year just as a way to care for yourself!).
If you don’t have benefits that cover (or cover very much) before you speak to anyone consider what sort of investment you want to put into your mental health (treat it the same as you would when considering joining the gym or going to the bar weekly).
Some such as Wildflour Fields in Ontario have a social enterprise where they have a “Grow in Kindness Program” that helps support reduced costs for other clients.
We do something similar but instead have a sliding scale with 3 price points.
Now some providers help to figure out an appropriate sliding scale amount by using an income statement to calculate a formula (we don’t do this!). Personally, I feel that this is not a client-focused practice and can be very shaming. Often those providers are receiving supplemental income from the government and they need to provide evidence of why they have decreased someone's session. Other private providers will create their own rules around what they can or cannot do. It is 1000% okay to ask before deciding to go with someone. It’s no different than checking the cost of a gym membership before buying or choosing a no-name brand to keep costs low.
5. JOIN a program specific to mental wellness
Often group programs will help to keep your costs low while still gaining access to a mental health specialist. Their skills and level of education will vary so do your research on whether you feel like it is a fit or not for the type of support you are currently requiring.
>>> Unscripted Co. has a coaching program that provides 9 x 1:1 sessions to be used within 12 months and additional resources to address your mindset challenges. The monthly fee of $89/month saves you $147 a year (compared to if you did 9 x 1:1 counselling sessions at full cost) while giving you so much more access to ongoing support. The catch? It may not be covered by your benefits but some have put it through health spending while others have added it to their taxes.
Okay, this is a good list so far, but there are so many other ways! Share what you have found that has worked so we can keep adding to this list. Also, share this post with your friends so they can make their mental health a priority and don’t push it aside because of the cost.
Written by Tia Bell, RSW
Founder of Unscripted Co.
Counselling sessions via nature walks
& Creator of SEEDs Program
